SMU fired head men’s basketball coach Rob Lanier today after he spent the past two seasons on the Hilltop. This news comes following yesterday’s 101-92 loss to Indiana State in the first round of the NIT Tournament. This is SMU’s fifth NIT tournament appearance (5-5 combined record).

SMU lost the previous five out of six games at the end of their season.

Lanier succeeded former SMU men’s basketball coach Tim Jankovich, who coached with the Mustangs from 2012 until his retirement and Lanier’s arrival in 2022. In 2017, Jankovich got the Ponies an NCAA tournament appearance, their first one since the 1980s.

Lanier previously coached at Georgia State for three seasons, the last of which got the team to the NCAA tournament.

Collegiate basketball analysts like Jeff Borzello are citing the school’s recent ACC move as a potential reason for this action.

“Our focus now turns to finding a new leader as we prepare for the next era of SMU athletics in the ACC,” athletic director Rick Hart said in an earlier statement.

The Daily Campus will continue to update this story as more information is available.